HELP! I cant find the answers in the forum!

Aug 20, 2006

OK Doc, so I've Googled it, searched through the forums and gone back months and months, and can't find the tidbit of info that I'm looking for, and I've also got a couple other questions/topics if you'd be so kind as to take the time to answer them for me!

I am bi, and had unprotected anal sex with a guy almost 8 weeks ago, and last week I got the phone call no one should ever get..."I have HIV, and you might have it too..." As cruel as it sounds, I am hoping he has been positive for a while and just got tested rather than slept with me in HIS window period!Needless to say, I spent a fretful week waiting for my appointment to get tested (which was today!). Now, I haven't shown any symptoms, which I know doesn't mean anything. And I know the 6.5 out of 10,000 statistic is for the top insertive partner, but what are the stats for the bottom/reciever? I know its higher, but by how much? I was not offered the 20 minute test, so I have yet another week or so of waiting to look forward to and some reassurance from you would go a long way!

OK, next question. To complicate matters further, I had some unexpected "I miss you" sex w/ my ex-girlfriend 2 or three weeks after exposure. We used a condom with no problems, so she should be 99.whatever% safe, but if I wind up getting positive test results, do you think I should tell her anyways? We are not on speaking terms anymore, and she said in the past if I ever gave her an STD she'd cut my balls off! I'd like to keep my boys safe, if at all possible, and avoid causing more drama in this small town.

Last question (I think!) I'm going to school for nursing, of all things...so as an established healthcare professional...what is your honest opinion about working with someone who may have HIV? If I test positive, should I tell coworkers? Should I even tell them I've been exposed before I find out for sure? And (again, IF!) how would testing positive affect my choice of careers? I'd hate to find out I am positive and have huge student loans for a degree I can't use!

Thanks in advance for your response! Keep up the good work, it looks like you have been a huge help to many!

Response from Dr. Frascino

Hi,

You couldn't have looked too hard for those estimated-risk statistics. My simple search on the site yielded tons of results! But anyway, since repetition is the mother of all learning, here you go:

The estimated per-act risk for acquisition of HIV from receptive unprotected anal sex with a partner confirmed to be HIV positive is 50 per 10,000 exposures.

Regarding your second question, although I'm a strong proponent of honesty, I'm also fond of both Sergeant Pepper and the boys and would hate to have your ex go all Lorena Bobbitt on your low hangers. Since you used protection, if the latex condom was used properly and did not fail, your ex should not be at any risk. I'd stay quiet, at least for the moment, and hope you don't have to ultimately address this situation, because your HIV tests are negative.

As for your third question, I think you are getting way ahead of yourself here. Let's take things one step at a time, OK? I will advise you that "universal precautions" are in place for all health care workers to protect against bloodborne-pathogen spread in either direction patient to health care worker and vice versa.

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